Road Not Taken
by JK
Summary: Relena receives a prank letter, which endangers her life. However, she refuses to let anyone know about the threatening messages that prophesizes her death. Not even Heero can save her.... ~COMPLETE~
1. Part I

ROAD NOT TAKEN   
  
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing, I don't own it!   
  
Happy Holidays everyone. Wow it's been a while since I wrote anything. Well here it is. Hope you enjoy it. I don't think it will be a very long fic. Maybe a couple of chapters but that's it.   
  
~*~*~  
  
She tasted the gentle breeze that flew from the west, kissed her cheeks and whispered untold secrets to her. The beach had constantly been her salvation and her sanctuary. At this exact location, this moment, her life had changed drastically. How could such a short event haunt her memory to such an extreme? From the time she identified the body to the moment he stood and glared at her with those intense cobalt sapphire eyes, she would never forget the passing seconds of time. Ten years later and she still couldn't put him aside. Relena Darlian, at the age of 25, still amazed herself when she returned to the place where Gundam Pilot 01 was unraveled before her. It had turned into a ritual for her, returning to the sea.   
  
She waited patiently for the setting of the sun. Everything seemed tranquil, peaceful, and exotically beautiful. The sun produced an ephemeral moment of bliss and paradise as the waves rippled in a rhythmic pattern and reflected the golden yellow and orange residue of the light.   
  
"Heero..."   
  
Relena recollected all the painful memories of the only boy she fell in love with. Shortly following the Mariemeia incident, he disappeared into the shadows of the world, along with her hopes of telling him how she felt about him. Missed opportunities tended to be a recurring habit of hers, which she loathed with a heartfelt passion. 'He must have grown,' she thought, no longer was he the boy she remembered but a man.   
  
She wrapped her arms around herself and moved her gaze down to the sandy shore. Funny how she desired to end her life a few years back, when she thought of jumping off the cliff. But no, she wouldn't do something so drastic and foolish. There were other things she looked forward to: The newfound relationship she has developed with her brother, Milliardo Peacecraft; The friendship she shared with Duo, Trowa, and Quatre. Most importantly, she couldn't let the world down. Peace had finally found its home in the hearts and minds of political leaders from both the Earth and the unified colonies. Despite the personal demons which occupied her thoughts at night, life was close to paradise.   
  
~Ring Ring Ring~   
  
"Damn it!" Relena's cell phone brought her out of her reverie as she removed the little contraption from her purse.   
  
"Darlian here," she answered with a slightly annoyed tone.   
  
"Hey there princess!" The caller replied enthusiastically. There was only one person in the world that could sound so energetic.   
  
"Duo, come on. This is supposed to be my day off. I would respect some time to myself you know?" Relena complained in a voice she knew would entice the former Deathscythe pilot.  
  
"Relena, you need to come down to HQ pronto."   
  
The vice foreign minister groaned inwardly and gave in. She decided to wait a few seconds to clear her head, decided to make him sweat a little, and took a last glance at the landscape. It was so beautifully stunning.  
  
"Relena?"  
  
"Yeah I'll be there." She said quickly and disconnected the call.  
  
Without a second thought, she strolled over to the parking lot where her black Mercedes was parked and hopped in. So many things have changed since the last time she had been here. Aside from the physical changes, she had grown mentally as well. She chuckled at herself as she remembered how she used to travel in that blasted pink vehicle of hers.   
  
All the lights were turned off when she approached the massive building of eighty floors along with five levels below ground. What did she expect to find on a statuary holiday? Despite the Christmas season, certain individuals were still hard at work. She pulled her car into 'park' and climbed the stairs down to the sublevel of Section B-2501. Normally when something happened, she always met up with the pilots or with Lady Une on this floor. She had been here more times than she could count.   
  
"That's odd." Relena thought to herself. "Where is everyone?"   
  
She decided to start her search for any sign of life from the right corridor, where a large conference room was located and where all her meetings took place. It was still dark when she opened the door into the room. Then suddenly...  
  
"SURPRISE!!!!!!!" A loud explosion of cheers rang through her ears as someone flipped the light switch on. All four former Gundam pilots were present, along with Noin, her brother, and several other co-workers. It didn't come as a shock to her to find Heero not among the guests.   
  
"What is this all about?" Relena asked with excitement.   
  
Milliardo stepped forward and embraced his younger sister as he explained, "Consider this a party that you well deserve for all the countless hours you put into your work." She glanced around the room as everyone nodded. Relena was more than glad to have her friends and family support her.   
  
"Not to mention that we missed celebrating your birthday last month during that Mars crisis. I mean, we had to make it up to you somehow." Quatre concluded matter-of-factly.   
  
"I don't know what to say. Thank you. All of you." She said, smiling and laughing at the same time.   
  
It was a splendid party with soft classical music and mild conversations occurring in the background. Everyone took turns offering their gifts to Relena. It didn't take long for time to extend into the long hours of the night and soon it was time to pack everything up and go home.   
  
They all wished Relena a happy belated birthday and headed for their vehicles in the underground parking garage. Before Relena left, she remembered one of her documents in her office while she was walking to her car alongside Milliardo and Noin.   
  
"Oh shoot." Relena muttered.   
  
"What is it?" Noin questioned her, eyebrows raised.   
  
"I forgot one of my documents from the office."   
  
Before she could finish her sentence, Milliardo interrupted and said, "It's your day off remember? Why don't you come back tomorrow?"   
  
"I'd love to but I can't. I really need it for my speech preparation on colony 1013 next month. I'll meet you back at home." She explained as she started a light jog to the elevator and onto the eighth floor.   
  
Relena ended up living with her brother in the restored Peacecraft Mansion under Milliardo's convincing manner. They still had a lot of things to catch up on and she figured it would be an excellent way to learn more about her only living relative. It was also easier to confide in him since they were both single and quite preoccupied in their lives. Despite Milliardo and Noin's close connection, she knew she could depend on him if they decided to move their relationship up a notch.   
  
Waiting on her mahogany oak desk were her documents strewn all over the place. She picked them up carefully and laid them in her suitcase. As she was about to leave, a shimmering envelope lying on the floor caught her eye. On it was her name, carefully imprinted with black ink.   
  
'Perhaps it's from the secretary,' she thought as she opened the envelope and pulled out the single piece of paper inside.   
  
Her eyes opened an inch wider as she read what was on it. Shock overwhelmed her as she held onto the piece of paper. Blood splattered the surface of the note with a blood-drenched feather stapled at the bottom. It read,   
  
WITHOUT WAR, THERE IS NO SOLITUDE.  
  
WITH PEACE, THERE IS ONLY CHAOS.   
  
THE DOVE SPREADS HER WINGS WITH INEXPERIENCE AND NAIVITY.  
  
ONLY WHEN THE DOVE DIES CAN THE ART OF WAR RESURFACE AND RECLAIM ITS RIGHTFUL THRONE.   
  
ONLY WHEN THE DOVE DIES CAN I EXIST   
  
AND OVERTHROW THE MEANINGLESS VISIONS OF PEACE.   
  
ONLY WHEN THE DOVE DIES CAN THERE BE TRUE VICTORY.  
  
ONLY WHEN YOU DIE RELENA PEACECRAFT CAN THE WORLD REJOICE IN SALVATION.   
  
She didn't understand what it meant. She couldn't understand who would send this to her. There was no question that the individual saw her as the dove. Suddenly an involuntary shiver ran through her body and she dropped the note. Some of the blood stained her fingers; still wet. Without much hesitation, she picked it up and returned it back in the envelope. She marched over to her desk and tucked it under the other items found on the top drawer.   
  
"It was just a prank." She tried to convince herself. "There is absolutely no need to overreact."   
  
She closed the door to her office and headed to the garage. As she drove home, she still couldn't shake the uneasy feeling sitting in her gut. She knew it wasn't that big of a deal and she knew for certain that she couldn't tell anyone about it. It would grow into massive panic and she wouldn't have any privacy due to this incident. Relena had received several prank letters in the past, all of which she experienced no injuries; maybe only to her pride.   
  
She tried convincing herself that it was nothing but why did she still feel so unsafe and insecure?  
  
TBC... 


	2. Part II

ROAD NOT TAKEN   
  
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing, I don't own it!   
  
~*~*~  
  
The following month carried on as a nightmare for the Vice Foreign Minister. Nothing out of the ordinary aside from the fact that she received tauntingly threatening letters every single week. They were found either on her office desk, her dresser at home, or her home office. She no longer felt safe in her private quarters. The culprit had been to all the locations where Relena traveled on a daily basis. She could already be dead if he so desires. However, she continued to believe that the wisest decision would be not to tell anyone. It was her problem and she would handle it - or so she told herself.   
  
With reluctance, she glanced at her watch. "7:14. Still plenty of time for that broadcasted conference." Relena waited to be escorted to the session when she noticed yet another unmarked letter sitting on her windowsill. Every time she discovered a new letter, she felt as if she had unleashed some horrible evil to the world. Regardless of the circumstances, she couldn't ignore them nor leave them untouched. Curiosity got the best of her and so she opened the sealed envelope impatiently and retrieved the item, like all the previous times. It was a photograph of herself gazing outside her bedroom window a few days back. She remembered...  
  
~*~*~  
  
It was late at night and Relena removed her formal attire for the lacy silk nightgown. She felt exhausted and needed some air before laying down to rest for the evening. When she opened her window, she could see the full moon displaying its brilliance along with millions of shining star children surrounding her. She could almost sense Heero with her at that time. Whenever she gazed toward the heaven and the stars, only one person came to her mind. It was such a pleasant feeling and she never wanted to lose touch of it.   
  
~*~*~  
  
She felt safe that night but someone was watching, lurking, and spying on her. They even managed to get a shot of her. On the photograph, there was a message imprinted with a permanent black marker, which read mockingly...  
  
THINK THE DOVE IS SAFE? THINK AGAIN.   
  
Relena's fingers began to tremble and her breathing became unsteady. Fear enraptured her heart and stung her conscience. Her watch now read 17:20. Then came a gentle knock on her door. The sudden sound startled her and she held a hand up to her chest to stop the pounding of her heart. A bodyguard named Samuel stood at the threshold, waiting.   
  
"I'm here to escort you to the conference. You ready?" he asked calmly.   
  
"Um.. Yes of course." She replied in her most diplomatic voice and produced the smile of a controlled politician. She simply couldn't lose control now. Nothing would happen to her, she reminded herself. There were too many people here. The culprit behind the messages wouldn't dare to make his move tonight or maybe it was all a figment of her imagination.   
  
Samuel directed her into the room and from her arrival, several reporters and television stations were situated in place, waiting with anticipation for Relena to deliver her speech regarding to the resource delivery system to and from the colonies.   
  
With cue-cards in hand, she walked over to the wooden stand and placed her notes on podium. Milliardo gave her a slight nod as she cleared her throat. Her brother was constantly by her side, acting very much like the protective brother and no one dared to question his position. As she begun her speech, she noticed that she brought the photograph with her, without even realizing it.   
  
'What on earth possessed me to bring this here?' She thought. She took several deep breaths to regain her composure and concentration. Then she began.  
  
"Good evening. It is to my knowledge that..." Relena trailed off as she gazed out to the audience and thought she saw a flashing light. Once again fear consumed all her thoughts and it seemed as if the flicking of the camera lights entranced her.   
  
The audience waited for her to continue. An eerie silence enclosed the vicinity as everyone stared at the spokesperson to resume her speech. But she couldn't do it.   
  
"I...I'm sorry. I can't do this right now." She whispered, then darted toward the exit. Questions started to stir among the crowd as the onlookers remained in their seats, completely bewildered by her actions.   
  
"Relena? What's wrong?" Milliardo called out. She was out of the room before she could reply. He stepped toward the microphone and announced, "Apparently there had been an emergency situation that Miss Relena needed to attend to. I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused."   
  
As he glanced down on Relena's speech, he narrowed his eyes when he saw the photo. There was something wrong indeed. Without waiting for the media to respond, he departed the scene in search of his younger sibling.   
  
"What happened?"   
  
"Where is Vice Foreign Minister going off to?"  
  
"What happened to the question and answer section?"  
  
"Do we get any refreshments?"   
  
All questions were left unanswered as the guards directed everyone to leave immediately.   
  
"What's going on?" Duo commented, pointing to the monitor, as he watched the live broadcast backstage with Quatre and Trowa. The three former Gundam pilots were as shocked as Milliardo and they didn't know what to make of the situation. Relena had never missed a conference, a meeting, or any important political gathering, and they all knew it.   
  
"Let's find out." Trowa replied, while he slipped into his navy blue jean jacket.   
  
Milliardo found her in the Green room, sitting on one of the couches, with her face in her hands, looking obviously troubled.   
  
He walked to her side and kneeled in front of her. "Mind telling me what's wrong?"  
  
She raised her head and stared straight through the same pair of sapphire eyes as hers. "There's nothing wrong. Maybe I've been working too hard. It...it's the stress. Nothing a good-night's rest wouldn't cure." She lied.   
  
"I found the photo," he said while maintaining eye contact with her as he brought it out from behind him. She simply stared at it, unmoving.   
  
"Explain this Relena." Zechs asked gently, placing a hand on her shoulder for support.   
  
"It isn't the first time I received something like this. I didn't think much of it then." She exclaimed and leaned her head on the headrest. She never realized how tired she was until now. Everything had become a jumble of thoughts in her mind and she couldn't fit anything together properly. "I'm scared, brother." Her voice quivered that sent chills down his back.   
  
"I think we should call him." he said, half walking to the exit, half reaching for his cell and dialling HQ.   
  
"Call who?" Relena wondered.   
  
TBC... 


	3. Part III

ROAD NOT TAKEN   
  
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing, I don't own it!   
  
~*~*~  
  
Leaning against the closed doorframe, Milliardo waited for someone to respond to his call. Wufei answered gruffly, "Preventers' Headquarters."   
  
"Wufei, I need you to find Heero Yuy for me."   
  
"I'm wrapped up with some Une-related business. Try next month." Wufei answered comically.   
  
Zechs smirked, surprised that the Gundam pilot had a comedic side. "This can't wait. I want Yuy's location as soon as possible. This takes precedence over all your previous assignments. Don't tell me you have you lost your touch already?"  
  
Silence. Wufei waited the extra minute, to push his superior over the edge. "Give me a couple of hours."   
  
"Couple of hours? Rumour has it that you can find anyone in a matter of minutes. Wufei, I need that information now!"   
  
"Yuy is not your average Joe on the street." Wufei responded and then disconnected before Milliardo could add another comment. Turning his seat next to the nearest computer screen, the search for the wing zero pilot began. Wufei's fingers bounced from one key to the next with flying agility. He could practically do this in his sleep. Scanning through apartment bills, credit transcripts, and transportation receipts, only one ID followed Yuy's regular pattern of consistent travel and anonymity. Wufei found it awkward that the soldier was not as inventive or secretive as before. It almost seemed as if he wanted to be seen. "Orreh Y. Lowe. Running out of aliases Yuy?" Wufei said to himself when he picked up the phone and dialled Zech's number.   
  
"Zechs, you'll never guess what the cat dragged in."   
  
"You found him then?" Milliardo asked.   
  
"Not exactly. His location is still unknown but it seems to me that he has been involved in some illegal activity."  
  
"Illegal? How so?"   
  
"A few months before, Senator Johnson from Colony 01 was assassinated. No evidence was found." Wufei explained. "They are gearing towards the possibility that a Gundam Pilot was involved."   
  
"Are you suggesting that Heero killed the senator?"   
  
"There's more." Wufei replied without answering Zech's previous question. "Most of the politicians involved with the peace treaty five years ago have all died. Do you remember the 'Earth Sphere Unified Treaty of 1013?' For some reason, all this information has been held classified. However, someone took lots of time hiding this from the public eye."  
  
  
  
"Yes I do remember that treaty and I'm amazed we didn't hear about this. How did they die?" Zechs proclaimed.  
  
"Unknown. One more important piece of information that you might like to know; prior to their disappearances, they received anonymous messages either through computer networks or letters claiming..."   
  
Milliardo interjected before Wufei could finish his thought, "I believe we already know what was written on those messages. So there's no evidence to support what occurred to those men? No suspects then?"   
  
"None, except Yuy. Wait, I neglected to mention. There's only one individual left alive that was present at that treaty conference. You know who that is, don't you?"  
  
Zechs knew very well who the remaining person was. It was none other than Relena Darlian. "Was Heero Yuy capable and responsible for all the killings?" he thought. It was true that no one had ever heard or seen him following the Mariemeia incident. Post-traumatic stress disorders were not unpopular when it came down to the lives of soldiers battling in war.   
  
"What do you want us to do?" Wufei asked when Milliardo became deathly silent over the other line.   
  
~*~*~  
  
Two days after Relena's reluctant break-down, her brother cancelled all her major public meetings and announced that the Vice Foreign Minister had sudden personal matters that will have to postpone all her usual activities. Her personal doctor adamantly suggested that she took a few weeks off to rest and rejuvenate herself.  
  
Under the order of Zechs, Une requested for more security and restricted access into the Peacecraft mansion aside from their own people. Nothing was to be left unnoticed for Relena's welfare. The former Queen found herself secluded in her home, trapped and helpless. She knew if someone discovered those threats, the situation would arise to this. Without a doubt, Relena shared their feeling of panic and fear, maybe even more so, but she couldn't put her job on hold. Once Colonel Une conducted a short briefing to the Gundam pilots regarding the sudden predicament, they knew what had to be accomplished. They needed to verify Wufei's findings regarding Yuy's involvement in the deaths of those political leaders. Without question, they doubted Heero's connection to those cases but then again, they weren't so sure.   
  
During her time off, Relena had nothing better to do but read her novels and keeping herself occupied by looking over settlements that have yet to be finalized in the political assembly. She knew that Preventers would be sending someone down to watch her twenty-four/seven despite her arguments against something she found unnecessary, but she didn't know who they would send if all four Gundam pilots were collecting information to solve the case.   
  
Relena walked into her room shortly after finishing her breakfast when she noticed a male shadow figure standing near her bed. He stood motionless, peering out of her window that leads to the outdoor balcony. His build seemed extremely familiar, especially the deep brown mass of hair. She approached him with caution for she didn't know who it was. It could even be the person dropping the threatening messages to her. He could even be armed.   
  
"Who are you and what are you doing in my house?" She demanded as she reached for her cell phone in her pocket.   
  
"Put the phone down Relena." The stranger replied monotonously, still not turning to face her. 'That voice,' Relena thought, 'It sounded so familiar.'   
  
"I don't know how you made it through security, but..."   
  
"How I made it through security?" He interrupted and chuckled in amusement. "I don't know Relena. You tell me." He said as he turned, revealing the twin set of cobalt eyes, the chiselled features of the perfect soldier that Relena remembered well from the past. Although his appearance proved that he was tiresome, he had grown a couple of inches and seemed to be more athletically built. No longer was he the boy that she knew, but a man. For some strange reason, his appearance frightened her. There was something not quite right in terms of the way his piercing eyes gazed at her. Was it hatred, anger, frustration, or sadness? Relena couldn't tell.   
  
"Heero? What are you doing here? After all this time..." She questioned, cell phone still in hand. Before he could respond, she realized the reason for his sudden presence after ten long years. "Milliardo sent you didn't he?"   
  
He continued staring at her, not affected from what she said. Without the slightest hesitation, he reached behind his shirt and pulled out his gun. Heero held onto it firmly with his right hand and then dropped his arms to the side, barrel facing the soft-matted carpeting. Despite where the weapon was pointing, Relena felt as if it was taunting her with its destructive power.   
  
"Why do you have that gun out Heero? What's the matter?"   
  
"....." Silence. He never left his gaze from her face. Then, very quietly, almost unnoticeable, Heero replied, "I have no choice Relena."   
  
"No choice for what?" Relena asked. She was so confused by his actions. Then, there was a slight knock on the door. At that same instant, Relena was awaken from her distraught conversation with Heero and she answered hesitantly, "Who is it?"   
  
"Relena are you alright? I heard commotion coming from your room." Milliardo answered.   
  
She turned toward the door, "No, I...I'm... " Before she could complete her sentence, she heard a rustle of movement where Heero was standing. When she returned to face the soldier, he was already gone.   
  
"Heero?!?" She exasperated, walking quickly to the windowsill and out to the balcony, assuming that it was where he made his departure. Within a heartbeat, Milliardo opened the door, looking quite upset, saying, "Yuy? Here in the house?" He, too, went to the balcony and stood beside Relena.   
  
Relena continued searching the courtyard for any sign of Heero but she found none. "Why do you sound surprised to find Heero here, Milliardo? You did send him here to protect me didn't you?" Relena asked as she kept her gaze on the lush green yard before them.   
  
Before he answered her, he went deathly pale and silent. Milliardo grabbed so tightly to the banister with both hands that his knuckles started turning unusually white. She noticed how distressed her brother seemed and she couldn't depict what was causing the uneasy feeling.   
  
"What is it?" Relena asked gently as she placed a hand on his forearm.   
  
"Was he armed when he was with you?" Milliardo questioned her, still looking flustered.   
  
"Well, um..."   
  
"Answer me Relena!! Was he armed?" Milliardo yelled as he took both her shoulders and shook her uncontrollably.   
  
"YES, Yes he was armed. I don't see the significance of..."   
  
"And he was with you in that room, with a weapon?" He asked more to himself than directing the question to Relena. "We were lucky this time, weren't we? Well, there won't be a next time."  
  
  
  
"Brother, what in God's name is going on here?" Relena asked impatiently. She did not enjoy being left out in the dark.   
  
He released a huge sigh, which he had kept in for what seemed like a long time, and responded without emotion, "Relena, we didn't send him."   
  
TBC... 


	4. Part IV

ROAD NOT TAKEN   
  
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing, I don't own it!   
  
~*~*~  
  
Milliardo escorted Relena back to her room and closed the French doors leading to the balcony. Walking past her nightstand, she discovered yet another unmarked envelope with her name inscribed on it. When she stopped abruptly, Milliardo, too, stopped beside her and noticed what she was staring at. He placed a steady hand behind her back and motioned her to sit down. A soft knock came from the opened door and a lean man with tousled black hair walked into the room, wearing a dark suit and grey tie.   
  
"Excuse me, am I interrupting anything?" The man said quietly, feeling the tension in the room. Milliardo walked over and shook his hand. They turned to Relena simultaneously.  
  
"Relena, this is who we sent to watch you. Victor Sanchez, meet Relena Darlian." Milliardo began the introductions.   
  
She plastered her face with a polite smile and offered her hand to Sanchez, "It's a pleasure to meet you." She said. He nodded curtly in return and eyed the room suspiciously. His hand felt like stone cold ice when they firmly shook hands in greeting. Relena had a feeling that there was something more to her new bodyguard than meets the eye.   
  
Unconsciously, she returned her attention to the envelope sitting on her marble nightstand.   
  
"It must be from Heero." Milliardo admitted before Relena could make her own assumptions.   
  
"Are you accusing Heero for all the messages that I have been receiving?" Relena questioned irritatingly. From the way her brother stood motionless without uttering a single reply, she knew her answer.   
  
"I sure hope you are making a cruel joke Milliardo." She exclaimed as she tore open the seal and reached for the note. It read...  
  
SOON MY DOVE. IT WILL BE OVER SOON.   
  
Before she could say any further on the subject, her brother snatched the message from her hand and stormed out of the room yelling, "Don't let her out of your sight Sanchez."  
  
"He's slightly overprotective of your well-being isn't he?" Sanchez asked, speaking for the first time.  
  
Relena said nothing as she threw the envelope in the trash.   
  
~*~*~  
  
"Are you insane? You're telling us that Heero is suspected of murdering those politicians and now he's after Relena?" Duo asked exasperated, hands flying in the air. "This is Heero we're talking about here."  
  
"People change. Soldiers change and you all know very well what I mean by that." Milliardo countered as he sat down at the conference table. Following the incident in Relena's room that morning, he called upon the Gundam pilots for a brief meeting regarding his conclusions to the case.   
  
"There's something not right about this picture." Trowa commented, arms crossed in a relaxed gesture. "What's his motive?"  
  
"Why attack ten years later?" Wufei added.   
  
They were excellent questions, all of which Milliardo had no answers. He simply shook his head to signify his uncertainty. With such serious accusations, no one was to be taken lightly, especially someone of Heero's background.   
  
"That's not important right now. We need to track down Heero Yuy and make sure he stays away from Relena. I'm assuming you all know what event is taking place next week?" Milliardo met everyone's gaze, in order to grasp their attention.  
  
"The embassy ball." Quatre responded.   
  
"Correct. That is the place that our mystery man will most likely strike and I..."   
  
"We'll be ready." Wufei said, finishing off Zech's final thought.   
  
~*~*~  
  
Relena felt uneasy remaining at home with a stranger even though he was supposed to be her protector. She assumed that the feeling would dissipate as time proceeded but it increased instead. Without thinking about it, she picked up the phone and dialled Duo's number.   
  
"Maxwell."   
  
"Duo? It's Relena."  
  
"Oh hey princess. How are you holding up?"  
  
"It's holding." Relena chuckled.   
  
"We're pretty busy down here, finding Heero and all." Duo said sadly. Relena figured that he didn't agree with her brother's conclusions anymore than she did.   
  
She sighed before saying, "I refuse to believe that Heero's the one."   
  
"I know how you feel. In fact, we all know your feelings toward the perfect soldier but this is an extremely complicated situation." He explained forlornly. "To be honest with you, I'm more concerned about your new bodyguard."   
  
"You mean Victor Sanchez?" Relena asked, sounding surprised. "What about him?"  
  
Duo replied hesitantly, "I don't know. Maybe it's nothing."   
  
TBC... 


	5. Part V

ROAD NOT TAKEN   
  
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing, I don't own it!   
  
~*~*~  
  
An extensive search for Victor Sanchez proved more difficult to Duo than expected. No records of his birth, or education were shown on display. According to the worldwide Preventers' directory, Sanchez does not exist. Still, Duo did not give in to the stubborn nature of his findings. By hacking through firewalls and restricted sites, he found the classified transcripts regarding the deaths of Senator Johnson among the twelve political delegates that were murdered. Only the thirteenth member who signed the Unified Treaty remains alive, Vice Foreign Minister Darlian. On the days where the politicians met their unfortunate demise, Sanchez was assigned as their sole bodyguard, which clearly identified that he was present during each successful assassination attempt.   
  
'Could he have seen Heero?' Duo wondered out loud. If he did see the Zero pilot, it would certainly prove that Yuy was the one sending those letters to Relena and he would then be the one they should focus on. Then again, assumptions never justify the means.   
  
"This could destroy Relena if she learns the truth."   
  
~*~*~  
  
A young woman had stood atop this cliff before, overseeing the entire landscape and ocean. Relena gazed at the scintillating night sky and admired the way in which the waves reflected the brightness of the stars. Despite the vast distance between herself and the colonies, she knew that she had succeeded. True peace had been maintained. This was her paradise. Her heaven.   
  
Behind her, she heard leaves crunching lightly on the sidewalk. Someone was walking up to her. Although she was unable to see the figure, she sensed his presence. With each lingering step, the distance between them shortened, which increased her heart rate in turn. He felt so close that Relena found it difficult to breathe.   
  
She turned around to face him in order to conduct a light conversation, hoping to break the tension forming within her. "Have you seen the stars tonight Heero?"   
  
The shadow fixed his gaze at her, never breaking contact, never replying.   
  
"I find them quite lovely from this exact location. This place brings back so many memories. Don't you think?" She continued softly, almost phrasing her words in a melodic rhythm. The wind began to pick up speed and danced around her blond tresses.   
  
"Relena, you know why I am here." He said coldly, while exposing a gun at the same time.   
  
A rush of mixed emotions stirred Relena's mind:   
  
Gunshots are heard.   
  
The terrifying explosion, which led to the death of her father.  
  
The newfound discovery of her true identity as Relena Peacecraft.   
  
Heero saved her from the Mobile Suits attacking the school.   
  
The sudden realization that Zechs Merquise was her brother, Milliardo Peacecraft.  
  
Heero off to fight again: his inability to fear death, to avoid her affections.   
  
How could someone cause her so much pain and euphoria at the same time? She could not believe the tremendous amount of heartache she went through for this one man, yet she still valued his life over hers. She knew this feeling was greater than that of love or friendship. It surpassed all emotion that existed within her being.   
  
She nodded solemnly before answering, "You're holding onto that promise you made to me ten years ago."   
  
"Affirmative. And this time Relena, I won't fail." Without any further exchange of words, he aimed the weapon at her heart and fired once.   
  
The bullet pierced her white blouse easily and penetrated her skin with the greatest precision and accuracy. She didn't feel the pain, but only felt the dampness of her clothes, sticking to her skin: Her blood. Still warm.   
  
"Goodbye Heero." Relena whispered before she collapsed onto the stone-cold ground.   
  
~*~*~  
  
Relena immediately sat upright on her queen-sized bed, shaken from the nightmare. No sounds rang out from her stressed vocal cords for she must have been too shocked from what her mind had portrayed. Perspiration glittered like a sheet of ice on her forehead. Her breaths came in raspy waves and she couldn't calm her nerves. She turned to face the incoming moonlight from the exterior. It was still dark out.   
  
A rustle of light footsteps was heard from the hallway. Relena unconsciously grew stiff and apprehensive by the sound. She unwillingly left the comfort of her bed to see who it was. Perhaps Milliardo was awoken by a phone call or maybe it was Sanchez conducting a scan of the floors for any intruders. With a quick twist of the knob, she walked out into the dark hallway.   
  
"Anyone there? Victor? Milliardo?" She asked the death of the night. Silence replied in return.   
  
Before her, a shadow roamed along the corridor with steady movements. It was too late for Relena to have noticed his presence when he began approaching her. With gliding agility, he pranced upon her and propelled the shocked foreign minister onto the carpeted surface, throwing them both off balance and knocking the wind out of her at the same time. The attacker pulled out a glistening blade and waved the weapon in front of Relena before she regained her focus on the man sitting straddled over her limp body. She blinked a couple of times to ensure that it wasn't a dream. The painful impact of the fall on her legs and vertebrae proved to her that this was as real as the realization of her father's death all those years ago. Despite her attempts to wriggle away from his strong grasp, her efforts deemed futile and unsuccessful. Relena couldn't distinguish who her attacker was for his body was consumed by utter shadow and darkness. She wanted so much to see the face of her killer.   
  
'Time to die my dove." The attacker announced in a hoarse whisper. He held the blade mid-air, prepared to make the final plunge.   
  
Relena waited.  
  
TBC... 


	6. Part VI

ROAD NOT TAKEN   
  
  
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing, I don't own it!   
  
  
~*~*~  
(Last Time) "Time to die my dove." The attacker announced in a hoarse whisper. He held the blade mid-air, prepared to make the final plunge.   
  
Relena waited.  
  
  
  
~*~*~  
Time came to an immense standstill as soon as Relena's delicate body made full contact with the imported Persian rug. The moment seemed devastatingly surreal to her and she couldn't shake off the thought that she will die within a few minutes.   
  
With crystal clear precision, the blade taunted her frightened visage, beckoning the intended victim to make her final wishes before it all ends here and now. The attacker reached back with all his might, aimed the shining tip at her heart, and swung his arms in a propelling motion. The blade drew closer and closer to Relena's flesh, so close from its intended target…  
  
"Stop what you're doing. " Called a strong, masculine voice from the shadows beside the windowsill. It was so commanding that the blade seized to move right above Relena's chest cavity. If it wasn't for the sudden interruption, the weapon would have gone straight through her and sent her into oblivion.   
  
"You're too late!" Yelled the man, straddled above her. "She WILL die!!"   
  
"I want you to move away from her." Retorted the new stranger. Relena couldn't help herself but turn her head in her liberator's direction. She recognized the voice, yet she couldn't distinguish who it was. The shadows clouded his appearance and her judgment. Her inability to see became a bitter annoyance to her. First, from her attacker and now from this new character.   
  
"Think you can save her with a gun?" The man claimed as he slid away from her and pulled them both to their feet at the same time. From his last utterance, she knew that the new stranger held a weapon and that very tool could save her life. Now upright, he still restrained her to him with one hefty arm around her waist and the other hand, positioning the knife to her neck. He seemed to be using her body as a shield. However bleak her thoughts of escaping were, she was far from being freed from his grasp.   
  
With short notice, the gun was fired and the bullet soared through the air, penetrating her attacker's right shoulder and forcing him to drop the blade and grunted in tremendous pain at the same time. The pain was so invigorating that the assailant began to lose his focus on the task at hand. From the moment the bullet pierced the attacker, his blood trickled from his body and soaked through Relena's nightgown from their close contact. She could feel his blood on her skin and she suddenly felt unclean. As time progressed, she noticed that he began to lose his hold on her and he unconsciously moved back towards the doorway leading downstairs.   
  
Before he made his departure from the unsuccessful attempted murder, he screamed to Relena and her saviour, "I shall return and finish what I started. Make no mistake!"   
  
Relena turned to face where the aggressor left the scene. She was shaking badly although the threat was over. Without facing the man who saved her, she whispered in unsteady breaths, "Who are you?"  
  
"Relena…" was all he provided.   
  
"Tell me, please" she begged, close to tears. The ordeal has taken a major toll on her once-controlled and objective mind.   
  
He waited several seconds before replying reluctantly, "some things are better left unexplained."   
  
"For what is worth, thank you. If you weren't here, I …." The words were caught in her throat and she needed to recollect her thoughts. This one-sided conversation proved to be more difficult to her than she thought. Then she continued, laughing quietly, "I thought you were Heero for a second there: by the way you handled yourself, through your strength, your words…"   
  
He remained unmoved by her comment. She laid a hand on the smudge of where the blood stained her and texture of the mark remained damp and wet. Suddenly, she remembered the dream…   
  
  
  
["Affirmative. And this time Relena, I won't fail." Without any further exchange of words, he aimed the weapon at her heart and fired once.   
  
The bullet pierced her white blouse easily and penetrated her skin with the greatest precision and accuracy. She didn't feel the pain, but only felt the dampness of her clothes, sticking to her skin… Her blood. Still warm. ]  
  
  
  
  
The stench of the blood and gunpowder gradually began to occupy her senses. She was overwhelmed by the extreme strain of anxiety, pressure, and the recent event. No longer could her mind sustain her frail temperament and she fainted.   
  
Still standing beside the window, the man heard a strange sound in Relena's direction and he raced to her side with short strides, catching her before she collapsed.   
  
"Oh Relena, I'm so sorry." he murmured, more to himself as he stroked her hair softly. He reached for her bloodstained hand and held onto it, remembering her words. "I thought you were Heero for a second there…."   
  
To him, it felt so right holding her within his arms. If only he had the experience in talking to people, especially to those he admire. Unfortunately, his excessive training never covered such tasks. If only his life had taken him down another path. If only…   
  
Relena began to stir slightly but remained unconscious. He rested his cheek on her forehead and whispered, "I won't let anything happen to you." All the memories they shared together flooded back into his memory: the moment she discovered his body by the beach, when he ripped her invitation, when he saved her from the mobile suits, the instant he discovered her whereabouts on Libra, the gift he left for her… They were all too painful to swallow. He despised the life that he was destined to live through.   
  
Suddenly the lights in the hall were turned on and footsteps were coming his way. The immediate flush of lights blinded him for a short while, then he regained his sight and surroundings. He noticed how pale Relena looked when the sounds crept nearer. His mind instructed him to flee the scene before he is discovered. However, he was reluctant to pull away from Relena. A wooden door opened with great force and in-walked Milliardo with a judgmental appearance.   
  
Too late! It was too late for him to leave without being noticed. Milliardo peered down and eyed him with a death glare.   
  
"YUY! What are you doing here and what have you done to Relena?" He hollered, reaching for his phone. Heero couldn't blame him for his infuriated emotion. Lying within his arms was what appeared to be a dying Relena bleeding to death, with her blood on his hands. 'What else could anyone expect?' he thought.   
  
"Get me security. We have an intruder." Milliardo ordered with heart-filled hatred.   
  
  
  
TBC…  
  
  
  
  
NOTE: I bet this chapter explains a lot.... OR DOES IT?! 


	7. Part VII

ROAD NOT TAKEN   
  
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing, I don't own it!   
  
~*~*~  
  
Milliardo disconnected the phone and simply stared at the two individuals; he feared terribly for one while he would gladly annihilate in slow, unbearable torture to the other. He was infuriated with Yuy due to the undeniable evidence seen before him. Both men maintained eye contact with each other when Heero gently settled Relena on the rug as he stood his ground, almost matching Milliardo's height. Regrettably he raised both arms in the air and announced, "This isn't what it looks like, Zechs."   
  
"Shut up!" He retorted, raising a gun in front him and restraining Heero on the spot. "You have caused enough damage for one night Yuy. If anything happens to Relena I'll...."   
  
"She's fine." Heero interrupted with a semi-annoyed tone. "I did nothing to her."   
  
Seconds later, Wufei, Duo, the police, security members, and other various men from Preventers' appeared on the scene. They gaped in utter disbelief. From what once was a quiet, tranquil hall, became a chaotic war zone where investigators gathered together clues and traces of solid evidence, and two paramedics tended to Relena. One brought in a stretcher and delicately lifted her frail body onto the cotton matting. Doing the routine inspection for physical wounds and critical injuries, they found none and one commented to Milliardo, "No serious injuries, sir. Possibly a minor concussion."   
  
From the moment the newcomers entered the scene, the two former soldiers never left their eyes away from the other. It seemed as if no one else existed aside from their abhorrence and loathsome emotion toward one another.   
  
The room grew quiet. Milliardo broke the silence, "And the blood on her?"   
  
"It's not hers." Duo thought aloud suddenly, giving Heero a slight nod. He knew that the perfect soldier had prevented something severe from occurring, but he couldn't prove it. Heero was not at fault here.   
  
"Yes, that's correct." Confirmed a paramedic. "How did you know that?" He asked curiously, turning his attention to Duo.   
  
"Enough with this useless conversation. Send Relena to the hospital for a detailed examination." Milliardo demanded from the paramedics, never wavering his weapon from Heero's chest. "Wufei, I want you to find Sanchez to accompany Relena to the hospital."  
  
Wufei turned to Heero, which forced Yuy to break his eyes away from Milliardo. An inaudible message passed between the Gundam pilots. Wufei answered to his superior, "I believe I should also accompany Ms. Darlian with Sanchez for further protection."   
  
He nodded in compliance then answered, "I do not want anyone else getting near her again."  
  
"What about him?" Duo questioned, tilting his head to Heero's direction. "We would probably need his help in finding Relena's assailant."   
  
Before he replied to Duo's comment, he grunted. 'I want you men to hold Heero Yuy in custody until further notice." Milliardo commanded, turning to the security men by the doorway.   
  
Confusion erupted on Duo's appearance. "What are you talking about? Heero saved her!"   
  
"He was the one who attacked Relena, Maxwell. I suggest you keep your mouth shut!" He retorted angrily. The men pulled Heero out of the room with ease for he didn't put up any sign of a struggle. Heero went willingly with them, maintaining his famous monotonic visage.   
  
~*~*~  
  
Several hours after being transported to the McColloney Hospital, the doctors found nothing serious with Relena's condition: A mild concussion that will heal in due time and an over-stressed mental state that could be rehabilitated with enough rest. When she was knocked onto the floor hours before, her head must have come in contact to the ground, which caused her current unconscious state. The nurses removed her stained sleepwear and cleaned the blood from her body, then dressed her in one of the pale hospital robes as soon as the medical examination was completed. Relena remained comatose from the moment she was carted into the hospital, to the moment when the nurses placed her in the bed, which she would remain for the next few days. Wufei sat on a stool by the bed after instructing Sanchez to remain posted outside her room. Relena's bodyguard didn't take too lightly with Wufei's directions but he followed them nonetheless.   
  
Milliardo came to visit Relena when things were predominantly cleared up in the mansion. The bloodstains in the hall were scrubbed clean. Preventers' investigators laid out every bit of evidence left behind in search of answers, which were not many aside from the DNA sample collected from the blood. Heero remained locked in the most secure room at HQ. He walked into her room, nodded to Wufei, and sat on the bed, reaching for her hand. Wufei spontaneously left his post, giving the two siblings a little privacy.   
  
"Relena, it's me." He whispered softly.   
  
Her eyes twitched a couple of times before she slowly opened them to greet her brother. "Milliardo.." she said weakly, smiling.   
  
Finally, she was awake. The doctors were worried that if she didn't show any sign of improvement, it could lead to a serious case of head trauma. "How are you feeling little sister?"  
  
"I have a splitting headache, here in my right temporal lobe." She admitted, pointing to the area on her brain.  
  
He chuckled and said, "I'm afraid we had to postpone the embassy ball on your behalf. I'm sure you're not too disappointed."   
  
"On the contrary. I was looking forward to the twenty or so dozen dances I would be obligated to perform with the old men of politics. Guess I'll have to wait." She exclaimed sarcastically.   
  
They became silent and Relena turned her head to gaze out the only window of the room. Sunlight shimmered on the artificial lake where ducks of various species lingered around the rich scenery. Judging by the arch of the sun in the sky, it was midmorning and what a glorious morning it was. How she longed to return home and out of the blasted hospital gowns.   
  
"Someone saved me, Milliardo." She confessed softly as she continued to watch the ducks splashing amid the crystal clear water surface. "There was someone else there aside from the one who attacked me." She said, turning her head back to face her brother.   
  
"It could have been Victor." Zechs shrugged, not even thinking much on the issue. In fact, he hadn't thought very much of anything at all since the incident. He had been so wrapped up in Relena's welfare and devising a way to destroy Heero that he never attempted to piece together what exactly happened on that night.   
  
"No, I don't think so. It was.." Relena began.   
  
"Relena, we have Heero in custody." He interjected before she could finish her thoughts.   
  
Relena waited a few seconds, processing everything that he said. Then, she responded, "Why? Is he in some sort of trouble?"   
  
"He tried to kill you, Relena." He alleged slowly, enunciating ever syllable.   
  
"No! It.. it can't be," Relena stuttered. She recalled the darkness and the shadows. The man who restrained her couldn't have been Heero. It was all wrong and she couldn't fit the images in her mind chronologically. Everything was a blur.   
  
"He still hungers for the thrill of the battlefield. It's simple really. You're standing in his way." He explained regrettably, noticing her confusion.   
  
Relena shook her head violently. "I won't believe it. I can't!" Relena cried, tears taking form under her soft eyelids.   
  
"Relena!" He shouted at her. "The only thing that concerns all of us is your well-being."   
  
"Milliardo, please..." She whispered, tears now free-falling down her tender cheeks.   
  
"There was blood on him. However, I still can't figure out who's blood it was if it wasn't yours or his. He seemed perfectly fine." He claimed, not so sure about anything anymore.   
  
"Blood?" Relena said, then seized to think further on the subject. The headache returned despite Relena's attempts to push it down. She wanted to remember what happened and she needed to know why Heero was caught in this personal matter. Zechs could see Relena's discomfort and motioned for her to lie back down.   
  
"Don't worry about this for now. All can be explained to you once you've healed." He concluded as he stood up, ready to leave. Before walking out the door, he said with a pained expression, "Relena, listen. I've witnessed the deaths of our mother, father, our entire kingdom. You're the only one I've got and I ... "  
  
"... and you won't lose me." Relena finished for him, but she, too, was uncertain of the outcome.   
  
TBC... 


	8. Part VIII

ROAD NOT TAKEN   
  
  
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing, I don't own it!   
  
  
~*~*~  
Duo entered the vicinity where HQ kept Heero custody with confidence. He knew this building inside and out, from the extended metal blockaded corridors to the high tech machinery running the place. Milliardo sent him to perform the intense interrogation with the only suspect they have on the stand and by god was he going to prove the lieutenant wrong about the ordeal. Heero stood on the far left wall, arms folded across his chest in a relaxed state, although his current situation proved otherwise. Without even acknowledging Duo's presence, he said, "Zechs sent you didn't he?"   
  
Duo nodded in return and sat down on the metallic chair closest to him and began, "Heero, I need to ask you some questions."   
  
Remaining motionless and silent, Duo suspected that was the most he was going to get out of his supposed friend. "Heero, did you write these letters?" Duo asked, pulling out the notes they have on file thus far, all claiming for Relena's life in one form or another.   
  
He cocked his head over to Duo's direction and gazed at the content on the pieces of paper and replied monotonously, "they're from the culprit who wants Relena dead."   
  
"Could that person be you, Heero?"   
  
He simply turned his head back to its original position and closed his eyes, no reply this time. Duo didn't need a response for he already knew the answer.   
  
"Right. Do you know who it is?" Duo asked.   
  
"We need to protect her. I know he'll strike once he gets a second chance." Heero proclaimed, without answering Duo's question.   
  
"I know that. What I want to know is, who's doing this?" Duo said impatiently.   
  
"He's closer than you think, Maxwell."   
  
"Well? You going to tell me or what?"   
  
"You're the detective, you figure it out." Heero replied, smirking. "Zechs won't listen to reason. He's too stubborn with his pride. You must protect her until…" Heero trailed off.   
  
"… until you break out of here? Is that it, Heero?" Duo concluded, exasperated. "You can't do that. He'll have your head!"   
  
Heero answered indulgently, "Better my head than her life."   
  
"Spoken like a true man in love." Duo chuckled.   
  
The perfect soldier retorted, "You're skating on thin ice, Maxwell."   
  
Duo laughed wholeheartedly and started walking out of the room with the prank letters safely tucked in the evidence folder. He knew what he must do. There was absolutely no question that he needed to conduct a false report to the former Lieutenant Zechs and play the entire scene by ear. The former Deathscythe pilot undeniably knew when it was hopeless to find the evidence, to prove Heero's innocence. Additionally, too much time would be wasted in trying to free him. Why not let him dig his own way out, since that will most likely be the case anyhow.   
  
  
~*~*~  
Relena sat by the windowsill in her bedroom as she held tightly to her brown bear, recollecting all the events that have occurred up to date. Finally, she was released from the hospital, and allowed to recuperate in the company of her own home and her own people.   
  
Pagan tapped gently on the open door and announced softly, "letter for you Miss Relena." He walked over to where she was sitting and placed the envelope in her hand. She smiled with gratitude and he squeezed her shoulder for the much needed support and comfort.   
  
"Thank you Pagan. Any idea who it's from?"   
  
"No markings that I know of. Victor handed it to me earlier in the hall today. Apparently he said it was from the office." He replied.   
  
"The office?" Relena whispered as she placed her bear down and opened the sealed envelope nervously. 'It couldn't be from… him.'  
  
  
SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST, MY DOVE.   
DON'T THINK YOU CAN ESCAPE FROM YOUR FATE.  
THE EMBASSY BALL IS WHERE IT ENDS MY LOVE.   
YOU CAN'T RUN. IT'S TOO LATE. TOO LATE….   
  
  
"What does the letter say, Miss Relena?" Pagan asked, curiously.   
  
"It's nothing." Relena answered a bit too quickly.   
  
"The embassy ball has been moved to this Saturday evening." Pagan reported. "Will you be ready, my dear?"  
  
Relena didn't hear his question. Instead, she stared out her window and was fixated on the doves flying around the vicinity of the Peacecraft Mansion. Such agile creatures they were, and beautiful as well. She wondered whether they will have the same fate as her.   
  
"Relena? Are you alright?"   
  
"Yes… I'm sorry, what did you say?"   
  
"The ball, Saturday night, 6:00 sharp. You have four days to prepare for it, as well as your speech that you'll be making that night. Will you be ready?" Pagan repeated, providing more information than before.   
  
"Yes, of course I will. Thank you Pagan." Relena answered, with slightly more confidence than her previous response.   
  
Once he received the answer that he wanted to hear, he left her alone although, he was certain that something was wrong with Relena. From the first moment he was introduced to her, he felt an overwhelmingly close bond to the younger version of Relena. He still recalls her soft rosy skin, the golden tresses that still fall behind her today, and her aquamarine eyes. His fatherly sixth sense constantly surfaced when it came down to Relena's thoughts and emotions; he knew that something indeed wasn't right with her.   
  
When Pagan left Relena to herself and her new letter, only one thought crossed her mind:   
  
'Four more days to live, four more days and I shall cease to exist.'  
  
"Four more days."   
  
  
TBC…   
  
  
NOTE: I'd like to thank all of you who have been reviewing this fic. It's greatly appreciated!!!! The only reason why I'm still writing is because of all of you ... so THANK YOU!!! ^_^  
  
An especially great thanks to animechick2487 for your constant support. About the other fic (Quintessence), I'll be writing an alternate ending just for you haha.... I'm in the process of writing it. Stay tuned! =) 


	9. Part IX

ROAD NOT TAKEN   
  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing, I don't own it!   
  
  
  
  
~*~*~  
WEDNESDAY  
  
A heavy rainstorm consumed the entire city that day with no chance of clear blue skies. Raindrops pitter-pattered against the windows and frightened the plant life outdoors. The vice foreign minister walked down to her home office on the main floor to finish the speech that she will be presenting in three days' time. On the way down the grand staircase, she noticed Victor on the phone with someone in the den, seeming quite upset and distraught. Curiosity got the best of her and she sneaked her way closer to the doorframe to see if anything was the matter. Before she reached the room, a deafening voice echoed through the halls.   
  
"I don't care about your goddamn problems. It either happens on Saturday or it doesn't!" Victor hollered at the vid-phone, disregarding Relena's presence on the other side of the doorway. "I want no excuses. … Fine! I'm giving you one last chance Mueller." He concluded before ending the connection.   
  
Relena lost her balance somewhat and graced the wooden frame with her elbow, which stirred the door to creak inwardly.   
  
"Who's there?" Sanchez commanded, facing the source of the sound.   
  
"It's me, Victor. I heard some shouting and I wanted to see if everything was all right." Relena replied, walking confidently into the room. He remained silent and she too, had nothing else to say at the moment. Then, she broke the dead silence and questioned him, "who's Mueller?"   
  
"None of your concern!" He snapped. Then he tuned his voice down to a more respectable frequency, adding "That is, he… he's just someone who owes me money."   
  
She didn't believe him and didn't feel much for a verbal confrontation. Relena simply nodded at him and departed from the room and into her office. Without much effort, she was beginning to dislike her so-called bodyguard. 'What will happen on Saturday?' She thought. 'Perhaps Victor was discussing the details in relation to Saturday's event.'   
  
"Yes, that must be it." Relena murmured to herself. She ignored all the unsettling negative thoughts in her mind and went to work. Hours passed and she hardly had any words written on her paper. Despite her efforts, her mental processes were clearly not on the speech. Instead, they loomed over her assailant, the prank letters, and Heero. 'What's the connection?' Discovering that she could no longer sit in one place, she started pacing her office back and forth, trying to recollect the incident that night when she was attacked.   
  
Blurry…. And dark…. That was all she could remember. But there had to be something else. "Think Relena. Think!" She scolded herself. "Heero couldn't have been the one who attacked me." But she wasn't sure of anything. Growing more frustrated as she attempted to replay the scene, she contacted Duo through the vid-phone.   
  
"Hey Princess. Getting ready for the ball?" Duo asked cheerfully once he connected himself onto frequency.   
  
"I've had other things on my mind Duo." She said jovially. "Can you look up something for me?"   
  
He answered optimistically, "Name it!"   
  
"Well, there's a person named Mueller who's had contact with Victor and…" Relena began explaining and was suddenly cut off by Duo.   
  
"Sanchez? You mean your good-for-nothing bodyguard? It does seem suspicious that he's communicating with others." He replied, frowning. "I'll check him out. Hang tight, Relena."   
  
Duo disconnected the line, without waiting for her response. She turned off the screen and sighed loudly, leaning her body against her oak desk. It seemed as if the nightmare would never come to an end.   
  
  
  
~*~*~  
THURSDAY  
  
Early in the morning, two biological technicians stood in a genetic laboratory, analyzing the blood found in the crime scene. Wearing the standard lab coat and glasses, Sally Po gazed through the microscope to identify the compounds of the solution. Unfortunately she couldn't pinpoint a cell that related to Heero's blood type. Under detailed analysis and experimentation with her lab assistant, her conclusion was that the blood belonged to the assailant and since Heero had no scratches on him, he couldn't be the culprit regardless of what Milliardo thought.   
  
"Then, who is it?" Sally wondered. After completing the extensive procedure in genetic analysis, she reported her findings to her superior, hoping some valid information could come from her conclusions.   
  
  
  
  
Thursday afternoon, Quatre contacted several sources without going through Milliardo and successfully gained assess into the cell, which Heero was held in confinement. The former Gundam Pilots needed to discuss a few important matters with the perfect soldier and they agreed to have the former pilot of Sandrock to represent their bodies. Being the extremely kind and caring individual that he is, he willingly volunteered.   
  
Like Duo, when he walked into the restrained compound, Heero stood motionless, leaning against the far-side wall.   
  
"Hello, Heero." Quatre began as he closed the door to secure their private conversation. He received the customary reaction, nothing.   
  
He ignored Heero's response and continued, "we've been researching, specifically Duo, and he's turned up with something important."   
  
Heero turned his focus over to the blond pilot and stared at him, as a signal to resume his thought process.   
  
Quatre maintained his eye contact on his former colleague and said hesitantly, "You know about Victor Sanchez, don't you?"   
  
"Bodyguard, hired by Zechs." Heero replied blatantly. "Let me guess. You've discovered the man named Mueller."   
  
"What? How… how did you know?" Quatre stammered, clearly shocked by this turn of events. He thought no one else knew aside from the other four Gundam pilots. "Duo conducted a background check on Sanchez several times but the one he did most recently produced a colleague of his, Marcus Mueller."   
  
"They graduated from the same military academy on the Earth Sphere Alliance twenty five years back." Heero added, uneventfully.   
  
"Yes. You knew all along didn't you?" Quatre asked. "Then, you know their connection with Relena?"   
  
"The day is drawing near, Quatre. You know what to do." Heero replied, obviously referring to the embassy ball.   
  
"I know. We'll look out for her, so don't worry about it. Remember, you can't break out of here!" Quatre ordered adamantly. In fact, all four Gundam Pilots agreed that it would be for the best if Heero's presence was not found anywhere near the ball, especially anywhere near Milliardo.   
  
"Does she know?"   
  
Quatre answered, "No, but she suspects something. She was the one who contacted Duo and asked if he could perform the background check."  
  
"Make sure it remains unknown to her. I don't want her acting different, in front of him. You know what could happen if she discovers the truth." Heero exclaimed, calmly.  
  
"No one will talk, Heero. Do I have your word that you'll remain here during the event?"   
  
Heero didn't respond. He lowered his head and closed his eyes, as if in deep thought. Quatre prayed that Heero's actions would prove in their favour but the perfect soldier had constantly been an unpredictable sort. Quatre bid his farewell and departed the room.   
  
Several minutes after Quatre's departure, Heero spoke to himself, "if you all think I'll sit and do nothing while Relena's life is in jeopardy, think again."   
  
  
  
TBC… 


	10. Part X

ROAD NOT TAKEN   
  
  
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing, I don't own it!   
  
  
~*~*~  
FRIDAY  
  
A day had passed and there was still no word from Duo in regard to the strange Mueller character. Relena was growing anxious about the upcoming celebration. Her life could possibly be drawing to a close and there was so much that she hadn't accomplished, so many events in life that she will not be able to experience. Marriage. The pain of never celebrating the miracle of matrimony with the one she loves was almost unbearable. Tears welled up inside her body, yet, they never reached the surface. Relena has mastered repressing her emotions. She learned well.   
  
"Heero…" She breathed. Without further hesitation, she reached for her car keys and drove down to Preventers' Headquarters. Speeding down the freeway and running stop signs were not her regular pace in driving, however, she didn't have much in life to wait for other drivers.   
  
With a set destination pinpointed in her mind, she marched right into the building, avoiding eye contact and any form of communication with anyone. Upon reaching the sublevel of basement 2B, and walking towards Cell XIII, two security guards stood and eyed their unexpected visited cautiously.   
  
"Miss Darlian? I'm sorry, but this is a restricted area. You are not allowed into the vicinity." Instructed a guard with brown hair and deep green eyes. His physique was nowhere near the ideal build of a security guard but his face was frightening enough to send a pack of wolves running.   
  
She raised her head defiantly into the air and responded, "I was given direct access from my own brother to meet Heero Yuy. If you have any problems, contact him but I'm warning you… He is in an extremely foul mood." Relena lied wholeheartedly, hoping her act could go unnoticed.   
  
Both security guards stared at each other, not sure how to proceed with this situation.   
"Very well, you have twenty minutes." Answered the other guard, slimmer in build and appearance. The metal encased doorframe hissed as it opened for Relena to walk through. Walking down a long corridor and through several doors, she finally reached her destination.   
  
A steel door was the only barrier left between her and Heero. She inhaled deeply and closed her eyes. With trembling hands, she reached for the knob and turned with one full swing.   
  
~*~*~  
Sanchez began to panic when he couldn't locate Relena anywhere in the house. He couldn't lose her… not when he was so close to the end. As much as he despised the brother, he needed to contact him and report Relena's disappearance.   
  
  
  
  
Once Sanchez phoned Milliardo, the lieutenant demanded a quick meeting in regards to the current situation and how everything stands for Saturday night. The four Gundam Pilots appeared, followed by Sanchez and a new character in which they have never seen before.   
  
"Gentlemen, here's the situation: Relena's missing, last spotted 09:00 at the Peacecraft Mansion." Milliardo began, standing at the head of the long table.   
  
"I suggest we include more personal guards for Miss Darlian." Replied Sanchez, looking at the individual he brought in with him. Duo immediately disliked the man the moment he stepped into the conference. The man wore a disproving visage and grabbed onto his right shoulder as if in pain. He possessed the same blond hair as Quatre's but more scattered and uneven about his head. "Allow me to introduce Marcus Muel…" he trailed off and then continued more carefully this time, "Marcus Mullen. Mr. Peacecraft, I believe with an extra hand and intuitive skills, we will be able to ensure Relena's safety tomorrow night."   
  
From Sanchez' comment, the former Gundam pilots raised their eyebrows and sent messages to each other, emitting the same thought: "Relena's nothing but dead in the hands of those two."   
  
Duo stood abruptly and hollered, "Relena's far better off if she's with us, Milliardo."  
  
"Enough!" He commanded, raising a hand to chest level. "You are implying that we have a woman to protect tomorrow. However, we do not even know where Relena is at the moment, now do we?"   
  
Silence was his only response. "If the assailant has her by now, there may be no chance of ever finding her again." Milliardo said quietly.   
  
"He doesn't have her yet." Trowa added, staring at Sanchez attentively.   
  
"Where's the proof Barton?" Sanchez interjected, annoyed.   
  
"Milliardo, I am sure Relena is out getting ready for tomorrow's event. After all, she did call us last day. She's perfectly safe." Quatre answered.   
  
"I'll believe it when I see it," was all Milliardo said before he departed from the room and descended the stairs to his office.   
  
TBC…   
  
  
NOTE: I'm so sorry for this short chapter. I promise the next will be good!!! I'm just building up to it... TRUST ME!!! 


	11. Part XI

ROAD NOT TAKEN   
  
  
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing, I don't own it!   
  
  
~*~*~  
Once the door creaked open, light illuminating from the hall rushed into the tiny room, which caused her to blink several times to set her barriers clear.   
  
Relena took one step into the sheltered interior of the cell and located a plain bed and chair to the side, all nailed to the floor. She waited patiently for her eyes to adjust to the darker lighting in the room. As her pupils became more aware of her surroundings, she noticed a muscular figure standing in front of her, facing the far-side wall. He back straightened, looking tensed from the additional member in the room. Unconsciously, she closed the door, which blocked most of the light from outside, and walked further into the room. No other sounds were heard aside from her heels clicking with the wooden surface. The silence was eating away at her; she couldn't form the words in her mouth and naturally, Heero would never initiate the conversation.   
  
Finally she began, "Heero, it's me."   
  
He remained motionless with his back facing her. Both could feel the tension rising as the seconds ticked-tocked in slow torture.   
  
Relena tried reaching him again, "Heero, I…"   
  
"Leave! You have no place here." He interrupted rudely.   
  
She was flabbergasted and uncertain of how she should respond. Why did she even come? If she, herself, didn't possess the answer to such a simple question, what gives her the right to stay anyhow? Whether her stubborn pride was a sin or a blessing, she moved toward the bed and seated herself comfortably on the bedside.   
  
"Tomorrow's the embassy ball." She announced softly, ignoring his last remark.   
  
He replied more gently this time, "I know."   
  
She chuckled, "Of course you know. You know everything, don't you Heero? However, the only piece of information that I want from you, I'll never be able to receive… Not in this life time anyway." Relena turned her gaze down to the ground.   
  
Heero, too, tilted his head downward and remained soundless. The curiosity within him was growing astoundingly as he wondered what she was doing here. Nothing made sense anymore! Spending ten years erasing his past, his memories with her, and she still managed to sneak through his barriers and touch a part of him that has never been seen. Was this friendship? Companionship? Or love? Of all the missions that were assigned to Heero, protecting Relena was by far the most challenging and frightening. His home for the past decade had been lurking through shadows and complete darkness.   
  
A few minutes passed and Relena have gone silent as well. He feared that she had not fully recovered from her head injury but then the slightest movement from the bed caught his eye and he relaxed somewhat.   
  
Relena became uncomfortable from the quietness and began shifting her weight around the bed. She needed to direct her attention anywhere but there.   
  
"I might not survive tomorrow night, Heero." She admitted softly. He did not reply.   
"There's only one thing I need to know…." Pause. Relena took a small breath before finishing her sentence, "Were you there that night at the Peacecraft Mansion?" No response.   
  
"Don't tell me you were the one who tried to kill me. You… You're not someone who would partake in such irrational action, are you?"   
  
He began pacing around the room, still maintaining his distance and his face from her view. "Please answer me Heero." Strongly she asked him, holding her control in check.  
  
"What difference does it make?" He finally answered quietly.   
  
Relena was close to her breakdown point. How could he ask such an idiotic question? Despite how jumbled her thoughts, she refused to let him see how much she was hurting inside. After all, being the Vice Foreign Minister has unconsciously trained her to choose her words wisely when speaking to a difficult adversary.   
  
"It makes all the differences in the world! You're in here because Milliardo's holding the assumption that you attempted to take my life!" She stood abruptly, nearly screaming every syllable. "How can you be so foolish? Why not tell them all the truth?"   
  
He responded, "There is no truth to tell."   
  
Relena was growing more frustrated with him than with their conversation. Every phrase coming out of his mouth was nothing more than riddles: riddles in which she couldn't decode.   
  
"I don't understand." She admitted defeat.   
  
Neither did he. Heero couldn't understand why he was unable to tell her the entirety of the situation. Why was he leaving her in the dark? Perhaps he wanted to protect her as much as possible and in order to do that, she needed to know as little as possible.   
  
Relena couldn't stand the tension anymore. Tears were beginning to take form beneath her eyelids. She decided to run for the exit, hoping she could escape from his sight before her emotions overpowered her. Never again will she permit another tear to fall from her face, in front of Heero.   
  
"I'm sorry. I have to go." She proclaimed, increasing her speed towards the door.   
  
He immediately noticed her distress and her sudden movement away from him. As much as he hated to admit it, he didn't want her to leave just yet. Unfortunately, he didn't possess the skills in speaking to women. Instead of expressing his thoughts with words, he discovered that his actions would speak much clearer for him than any other way.   
  
She finally reached the door and pulled on the knob. The solid door creaked open just a few inches when Relena felt a great force exerted on the door, working against her pull. Heero stood right behind her with two hands placed chest level at her sides, pushing the door shut. He cornered her slim frame between the door and his muscular body. The minute she felt a warm presence behind her, she froze. Now, they were both breathing harder than before, feeling each other's heat although, they weren't touching each other. Her hand was still on the knob, unable to release her hold.   
  
"Let me go, Heero." Relena pleaded, almost feeling her composure about to break.   
  
"No." He whispered into her right ear.   
  
  
TBC… 


	12. Part XII

ROAD NOT TAKEN   
  
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing, I don't own it!   
  
~*~*~   
  
Silent tears began flowing down from Relena's face. If Heero weren't as intuitive as he was, he would never have suspected that there was a heavy stone weighing in her chest. Finally releasing her grip from the doorknob, she began pounding on the door as she resisted any more tears from forming. 'Stop it,' she told herself, 'you're stronger than this.'   
  
"You don't need to hide your emotions from me Relena." Yuy whispered as he raised a hand and gently supported her back.   
  
"I'm afraid. For both of us." She answered softly as she felt her knees weakening below her. Before she touched the ground, Heero wrapped his arms around her waist and forced her to lean on him. Time seized to exist at that moment. Everything felt so right, so in place with Relena in his protection. Minutes passed until he turned her around to face him. Traces of her tears could still be visible in the darkness.   
  
Now they stood face to face, yet, Relena refused to look at him. She couldn't stand for her lack of strength. How many times has she promised herself not to cry in front of him again? She failed.   
  
He used his right hand and tilted her chin to meet his gaze. As intoxicating as her eyes were to him, he couldn't defy the emotions stirring within himself. So beautiful…   
  
"Relena…" He leaned forward upon chanting her name and cupped her face as he prepared himself to do the one act he could never accomplish with anyone before. She knew what he had intended and froze on the spot.   
  
"No, Heero don't." She claimed, placing both hands on his chest, pushing him back slightly.   
  
"Tell me to stop, Relena." He proclaimed, continuing to lower his lips onto hers. She didn't reply and he knew her response.   
  
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK   
  
Their faces froze only mere inches from each other once the security officer began pounding on the door, the moment was lost between them and they both turned away from each other. Heero stepped three gigantic steps backwards, back into the shadow as the guard hollered,   
  
"Time's up, Miss Darlian."   
  
Without even looking back at Heero, she felt for the knob behind her, stepped back into the light, and closed the door. Despite the guard's confused expression on her face, she walked out of the hall, and left the building, without turning back once. She drove home with the most solemn appearance, reflecting on what had recently transpired with Heero, visualized what almost could have happened if that damn guard had not interrupted them.   
  
"Heero… I didn't have a chance to tell you." Relena said to dead air. The tears ran freely as she sped on the highway, to no particular destination.   
  
"DAMNIT!" He swore. Heero didn't know what he just felt with Relena. Only one thing rang true in his mind, he wanted to kiss her. "Guard!!!!"   
  
"Yeah what is it?" The man yelled from the other end of the cell.   
  
"Vice Foreign Minister left her purse in here!"   
  
Now irritated, the officer yanked at the doorknob and replied, "Hand it over!" Before he could realize what has happening, Yuy bashed him over the head with a mighty force.   
  
"Is he locked up tight now?" The guard with the brown hair asked, as the other guard walked out from the corridor. He simply nodded, tilting his hood further down on his face and walked away from their post. "Hey, where do you think you're going?"   
  
"I have an errand to run." Heero answered as he marched freely out of the building.   
  
~*~*~   
  
SATURDAY   
  
The night of the Embassy Ball. Guests began arriving in varied intervals into the main hall. Elegant gowns and expensive suits engulfed the room where six extravagant chandeliers dropped from the ceiling, illuminating the dreamlike sequence for the evening. Guards were posted at every window and balcony. The former Gundam Pilots, dressed in their black attire stood watch from various corners of the hall.   
  
"This is it!" Duo announced into his electronic earpiece. All the guards that night wore one in order to remain in contact with each other, in case of the need for immediate communication.   
  
"Be cautious when you guys get a visual of Sanchez." Wufei replied, tapping onto the earpiece to transmit a better signal.   
  
"When will Relena come down for her announcement?" Trowa asked quietly, eyeing all the new arrivals.   
  
"18 hundred hours." Quatre answered as he greeted and shook hands with several political delegates.   
  
Relena sat before her mirror, staring at nothing in particular but her emotionless face. Wearing the most graceful sleeveless pearl white gown, accentuated with a sapphire necklace and matching earrings, she sure didn't feel as confident and beautiful as what she saw in the mirror. With her speech in hand, she thought about Heero. Turning to gaze at the clock on the wall, she was prepared to grace the guests with her presence. A slight knock came from the door and she answered it.   
  
"Miss Relena. You mustn't go out there!" Sanchez proclaimed as he blocked her from exiting the green room. He pushed her back into the center of the room and walked in without hesitation, along with a man she has never seen before. The other man closed the door and grinned at her. It was the most frightening face she had ever witnessed.   
  
"Victor! What is the meaning of this? I don't care about the assailant. Let me go!" She said wholeheartedly. "And who is that?" She asked, pointing to the stranger.   
  
"I'm surprised you don't recognize me, my dearest dove." Marcus Mueller responded, licking his lips.   
  
Suddenly, recognition hit her like lightning. "You! You were the one who attacked me that night."   
  
"Give her a golden star. We have a winner." Mueller mocked.   
  
Slowly, she backed away from the two men. However, there was no way to escape for they were blockading the only method of leaving the room. "And you Victor? You're with him?" She asked, sounding shocked and surprised at the same time.   
  
"Of course! I was the one who hired him to kill you. Unfortunately, good help is so hard to find these days. Now, I will finish what I had intended. NOW Mueller, I want her dead." Sanchez instructed forcefully.   
  
Just then, Relena knew that her previous assailant was the man standing before her and also standing here was the assailant's employer, her trusted bodyguard. How come she couldn't figure it out before it was too late? And now, this was it for her… this will be the end.   
  
TBC…   
  
NOTE: Oh my gosh. I am so sorry for the tardiness of this chapter. Due to midterms and assignments, there was just no way for me to write... but now, we're crawling closer to the end. 


	13. Part XIII

ROAD NOT TAKEN   
  
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing, I don't own it!   
  
~*~*~   
  
A sickening feeling remained constricted in Relena's chest as she tried to consume everything. Victor Sanchez was not who he claimed to be. Furthermore, he orchestrated every minute detail of the attempted murder. She couldn't help the way in which her breaths were expelled from her lungs, in short raspy intervals. Despite the pressing situation, she still couldn't believe what she had discovered.   
  
With each receding step she took, the two men advanced just the same, shortening the distance between them. Mueller reached into his jacket pocket and retrieved a 9 mm glock from his person. Once he raised the pistol to her chest level, Relena didn't doubt the gun's deadly intentions. All of a sudden, her thoughts traced back to the days that have passed: the time when Milliardo suspected Heero for the letters, and what's worse, for breaking into their home when in fact it wasn't him at all.   
  
'Ironic, isn't it Relena?' she thought. 'It was never Heero to begin with.' The mosaic pictures in her memory, which made no sense before began forming itself into a crystal clear recollection of images. Suddenly, she understood what actually occurred that night. Mueller attacked her once she opened her door out into the hall and he would have succeeded in his mission if not for the man who saved her, Heero. Shadows of the past started dissipating from her mind and faces of the individuals who played such vital roles that very night, suddenly became so clear.   
  
Mueller clicked the safety switch off and cautiously glanced at his boss, waiting with anticipation for permission to pull the trigger. The sound broke Relena from her mind and she stared straight into the eyes of the killers. Only one thing continued to probe her thoughts. 'Why?' She wondered. Then Relena unconsciously asked her question aloud,   
  
"Why are you doing this, Victor?"   
  
He responded, "Why am I doing this?" Then he cackled in amusement. "My dear Relena, do you know what you have inflicted on humanity?"   
  
Puzzled now, she raised her eyebrows and shook her head as she replied, "Peace and prosperity for all? I don't see that as such a crime."   
  
"You and your foolishness!" He blamed her. "Did you not think of the soldiers? The brave warriors who sacrificed their very souls for your 'peace?' " He said the final word as if it was blasphemous. "My father died in battle and was his family ever compensated? Never, not even a note from the government thanking him for his services. I went to war shortly afterwards, hoping I can make a difference and end all this tyranny and hatred. I was confronted with corruption from the government, YOUR government. And now, I know that there is only one solution… war!"   
  
Relena didn't know whether he was serious or delirious. Finally recognizing insanity from the man's contorted face, she didn't know how else to answer him. Gathering all the political strength she possessed when confronted with a difficult adversary, she explained, "Of course I thought of the soldiers." Relena thought immediately of the Gundam Pilots and the period when she felt immensely terrified for Heero's very life.   
  
She continued, "It was a tremendous obsession. How could I not remember those who have lost their lives for the greater good? I never enjoyed the fighting and used everything in my power to end it. How can you accuse me of such a heinous crime? I would have died a thousand deaths if it could only bring those soldiers back, bring your father back Victor." She coaxed him, trying to get him on side although she knew that he was far from being helped. This must have been what Milliardo was mentioning before, posttraumatic disorders following the dreadful war.   
  
Sanchez rolled both of his hands into tight fists, as if he was about to strike at someone. Tears began forming in his eyes and an overwhelming wave of emotion hit him. He rubbed the eye drops away from his face without hesitation and yelled, "Don't you dare use that against me, Relena. You think we don't know how you work? You attempt to win people over through words, always had. Well, it's not going to happen this time! Mueller, kill her now!" Sanchez hollered the command.   
  
~*~*~   
  
"Something's wrong!" Quatre murmured, suddenly feeling a strange vibe. "People! Where's Relena? She should have been down here ten minutes ago."   
  
"No clue. I'll go check it out." Duo volunteered. "Do we have a visual on Sanchez?" He asked before leaving the main room and headed off in search for Relena.   
  
"Negative, Duo." Trowa responded, "he was supposed to be monitoring the second level, and was ordered to escort Relena down to the main hall."   
  
"Well, where the hell is he?" Wufei asked impatiently, feeling tension building from his chest.   
  
Milliardo walked up to Wufei at that moment and exclaimed seriously, "Heero's escaped. I just received a call back from HQ and he is no where to be found."   
  
"Weren't there guards watching him?" Wufei questioned, chuckling underneath his breath.   
  
"Obviously not good ones. I want you and the rest of the pilots to be on a lookout for Yuy. I don't want him anywhere near Relena." Milliardo ordered.   
  
"Do not worry about Yuy." Wufei exclaimed softly.   
  
"What is that supposed to mean?"   
  
He intentionally ignored the question and said instead, "We may have a problem. Relena hasn't been down here yet and we were notified of the supposed speech that she was to deliver, fifteen minutes ago." The pilot explained calmly. "Clearly, she hasn't been late for anything in her life, I take it?"   
  
"Dammit! He's already gotten to her!" Milliardo announced, running to where Relena was kept.   
  
When Wufei could no longer see Milliardo's hurried form disappear into the crowd of guests, he informed the rest of the pilots, "Trouble is brewing, folks. Yuy could be here. Help him in any way possible if you see him."   
  
"If it's the same Heero Yuy we have learned to love, he's already well prepared for what he needs to do." Trowa replied.   
  
~*~*~   
  
Duo advanced his way through the lavish corridor. He raised his right arm to knock on the oak frame when someone from behind pulled him back and seized his fist in midair. From the minute he stepped onto the second floor, he felt a presence other than his own and it was none other than the perfect soldier.   
  
Without even thinking, he shifted his weight to face the man behind him and half yelled, "What the heck is wrong with you, Heero? Since when did you break out of that cell?"   
  
Duo received a deathly glare from him and a swift air of indifference when Heero motioned for him to shut his mouth. "He's in there right now and if you so much as make a sound, she won't live to see tomorrow's sunrise. And do you know who I'll take my rage out on, Maxwell?" Yuy asked in such a calm tone, Duo was astounded by his absolute self-control and determination.   
  
"Yeah, I get the picture. So Sanchez is already in there. What should we do?" He replied, dropping his voice level down an octave.   
  
Before Heero could reply, they discovered Milliardo quickening his pace in their direction. The slightly overprotective brother of Relena's was about to cuss and rant simply from Yuy's presence but Duo stepped in between them as a truce.   
  
"Zechs, listen and listen well for I'm not going to repeat myself." Heero began calmly. "Relena's in trouble and it sure as hell isn't from me. He's in there with her right now and you know as well as I that we need a plan to get her out." He stopped to catch his breath and continued, "Are you with me? Or do I have to knock you unconscious and save her myself?"   
  
Milliardo grunted his disapproval simply by Heero's comment. They overheard three voices on the other side of that doorframe, two definitely belonging to men. It was at that time in which Milliardo knew how wrong he was about the perfect soldier and he complied to Heero's demands with a slight nod.   
  
~*~*~   
  
"As you wish, sir." Mueller responded, grinning evilly at his prey. He aimed the pistol at his intended target and placed his index finger on the trigger.   
  
"Wait, wait!" Relena yelled, putting both arms up. She felt the sudden urge to live. Live through this ordeal and tell Heero how her blood boils every time she sees him, tell him how the earth seizes to rotate simply by his presence, and most importantly, tell him how much she loves him.   
  
"I still have one more question." She said, hoping to delay the inevitable, if not avoid her predicament all together. Perhaps a miracle will fall right onto her lap if she prayed hard enough. "Why are you doing this Mueller?" The Vice Foreign Minister asked matter-of-factly.   
  
"That's your question?" Mueller said, choking with laughter. "Isn't it obvious, my dove?" She said nothing.   
  
"Sanchez proposed to offer me a heavy sum for this simple deed and simple it is my princess."   
  
She shivered from his explanation. 'Why?' She thought, 'Why always the money?'   
  
Just then, the door behind the two men opened unexpectedly and Milliardo walked in, appearing confident and sure of himself. Relena was surprised by her brother's calm expression, almost as if he knew what their current situation was. There was no doubt that he saw the fire burning in the eyes of the bodyguard, whom he foolishly trusted with Relena's life, and the gun firmly placed in Mueller's hand.   
  
"Milliardo, you should never have come here." Sanchez accused.   
  
"On the contrary my friend. I need to escort Relena down to where her guests are waiting for her." Milliardo replied without hesitation.   
  
Caught extremely off-guard by this surprising turn of events, Sanchez had to think of something else instead of merely ordering his confidante to fire away and then leave the vicinity, then making an anonymous call, claiming that Mueller had indeed killed the Vice Foreign Minister, which is not fully untrue. Eventually, he would have just walked away a free man. However, with Milliardo in the picture, it changed everything.   
  
"You're quite right. I believe I'll escort Relena myself. Mueller, hand me the gun." Sanchez instructed, without leaving his gaze away from Milliardo for a minute. With the weapon now in Victor's possession, the situation only became more deadly when he reached out to Relena and grabbed her by the waist with one arm and swinging his other arm equipped with the gun, across her chest.   
  
"Now walk, Relena." Sanchez ordered as he pointed the gun towards the door. Despite his seething request, she didn't move at all.   
  
Milliardo noticed her uneasiness and said soothingly, "It's alright. Just go with him." She made eye contact with him for only a brief moment and understood through her brother's eyes that this problem will be solved quickly, if not painlessly.   
  
The door was already opened and Relena strained herself to walk through, with her brother's encouraging words at the back of her mind. Sanchez stayed close behind, too close for her comfort. When they were both fully exposed in the hall, she saw Duo standing in front, gun leveled.   
  
"Let her go Sanchez." Maxwell barked the order.   
  
"Not a chance."   
  
"You're surrounded now, Sanchez." Heero announced as he walked firmly in front of Duo and stood only inches from Relena and her captor. With Milliardo behind them, and two former Gundam pilots in front, there was no possible escape route for the culprit.   
  
"Oh, but that's," Sanchez explained, "where you're wrong. You must be that Gundam pilot whom Relena's all love struck about, aren't you?" Heero offered a puzzling look and pulled out his gun, at the ready.   
  
"Yeah I've done my research, Heero Yuy. And if my research has done me justice, it might be more pleasurable for me to kill you and see how Relena would react to this little twist in our game." Sanchez chuckled. "Who knows? She may even kill herself and that would just save me a bullet, wouldn't it?"   
  
As Sanchez continued to think aloud, Relena's eyes looked more horrified by each passing sentence and she couldn't hold onto Heero's gaze. "Kill Heero? No please don't!" She pleaded desperately.   
  
"No, on second thought, I'll just shoot you!" he concluded, finally pulling the trigger and releasing the metal bullet into her chest. The smell of sulfur lingered in the air as Relena felt a pain stab between her shoulders. Ever so slowly, she felt her knees weakening and she could no longer hold herself upright. The invading embrace that was Sanchez's arms began to loosen and she slid to the floor as blood oozed from the bullet wound, dying her gown into a murderous depth of rose red. Shock was written on everyone's faces for the sudden transition of the situation.   
  
"Relena, no!" Heero hollered, hoisting his gun in midair and aimed for Sanchez's forehead. Once Relena's limp body fell stationary in front of the murderer's feet, Yuy fired wholeheartedly. He fell just short of the doorway and laughed. Within a few moments, Sanchez was dead. Mueller became fleetingly frightened and decided to run for it, hoping his legs could carry him as far away from the ordeal as possible. However, Duo kept him at bay with the deafening sound of one bullet fired into the ceiling.   
  
"Where do you think you're going, Mueller? Don't worry. We haven't forgotten about you." Duo snickered. When Maxwell turned back to Relena, Heero was already by her side, pressing hard on her wound, hoping to stop the bleeding until the paramedics arrived. Milliardo had called the hospital and Preventer's for assistance and he stood forlornly beside his injured sister, watching Yuy attempt everything possible to save her life.   
  
"Hold on Relena." Heero whispered as he felt her blood in his hands. "You must hold on!" The sight before him almost sickened him. How could he have been so careless? Now, Relena's life was hanging by a mere thread.   
  
TBC…   
  
NOTE: Several people have brought to my attention that the chapters were too short. WELL!!! Let's hope this chapter satisfies those hungry readers out there hehe. 'Til next time ^_^ 


	14. Part XIV

ROAD NOT TAKEN  
  
Disclaimer: Gundam Wing, I don't own it!

ONE WEEK LATER  
  
Heero approached the hospital vicinity and immediately approached the main counter where a slightly overweight nurse was reading several documents before looking up and acknowledging his presence.  
  
"Room number for Relena Darlian?" He asked politely, if not a bit hurried.  
  
"Down the hall, in 215." The nurse answered. Heero turned, headed in the direction towards his destination. Before entering, he knocked gently and let himself into the stark gray room, intended for the injured to heal. It was such a depressing room with nothing but the usual furnishings of a bed, couple of chairs, and a table at the opposite side.  
  
Once he closed the door behind him, he eyed Zechs tiredly, who was sitting by Relena's sleeping form on the cotton mattress. The protective brother acknowledged the new visitor with a curt nod.  
  
Heero gazed at the pale-looking woman, dressed in the hospital attire for the injured. She looked so vulnerable and fragile. He could no longer control his thoughts or his actions when he sees her as how she is. Emotions were running at an all time high and he did not know how to handle this new feeling. Without a doubt, he cares deeply for her, maybe even more so than he realized.  
  
Hell! He loved her and he never understood what that meant until now. When he almost lost Relena to that ruthless villain, his thoughts were forever transformed into something much more human and tangible. There was only one thing he has come to realize at that crucial moment; he must save Relena and never let her engulfed in harm's way ever again.  
  
"How is she?" Yuy greeted him with a gentle tone.  
  
"She's healing. Doctors say she should be in the clear, as long as she stays on this bed and wait for her body to restore herself back to health." Zechs replied, avoiding eye contact. They remained silent for a couple of minutes, each occupied in their own thoughts.  
  
Before speaking again, he sighed loudly and began, "Yuy look, I need to apologize for my lack of judgment in the last week. I never should have been so irrational, locking you up with no relevant evidence. I was blinded by rage and I hope we can put this horrific episode behind us."  
  
"Zechs, we're both sorry. I should have watched out for her. She was right there, right in front of me and I didn't anticipate his moves; and for that, she's lying there before us." Heero answered sadly. "The only thing we should be concerned with is Relena regaining consciousness and returning back to her life."  
  
"Yes, you're right." Zechs said as he stood up and headed for the doorway. "I think it's about time I went back to work and set everything back in order."  
  
Before departing from the room, he turned back and instructed, "Look after her for me while she's in here."  
  
"You know I will." The door closed behind him and Heero was left with Relena. He claimed Milliardo's seat beside the bed and brushed his palm over her forehead. So many words he wanted to say to her and yet, he didn't know where to begin.  
  
"Oh, Relena. I'm sorry for ever leaving you." He remained by her side for the remainder of the night and carrying on to the next day.  
  
For the next few days, Relena never showed any signs of improvement and doctors were beginning to lose hope in that she may never regain consciousness. However, Heero refused to believe the worst for her.  
  
_Come on, Relena. You have to fight this._ He thought, holding tightly onto her hand.  
  
"I know you can do this Relena. You were never a quitter, so don't you dare quit on me now." He said to her. "You hear me? Don't you dare leave!"  
  
In the middle of his exasperated speech, Relena's eyelids fluttered slightly and he could feel her hand moving in his grasp.  
  
"Your people need you out there." Heero explained. "I need you." She finally revealed her twin sets of aquamarine eyes and gazed at the man sitting beside her. Despite the drugs in her system, she still felt the painstaking burning sensation in her chest, from where the bullet penetrated her skin. Who knew how long she was out cold, for she lost complete sense of time.  
  
"Heero..." She breathed slowly, offering the small smile she could produce on her face.  
  
Staring at her beautiful eyes was the only thing he could do. He waited weeks to meet those eyes with his passionate cobalt twin sets.  
  
"You're here." Relena whispered, looking down and finally seeing their hands locked together in an intimate connection.  
  
"Where else would I be?"

* * *

Relena strolled in her garden, behind the Peacecraft mansion, breathing in the wondrous sight of nature in this crisp autumn season. Weeks have passed since her release from the hospital, when they gave the ok for her to return home and rest until the wound was fully healed. Despite Heero constant surveillance of her, he never approached her once she left the hospital. In fact, Heero has yet to visit her since her release. She wrapped her arms around herself as plopped down on a marble bench, admiring two doves flying together. _Why won't he come and see me?_ She thought.  
  
Just then, she heard footsteps approach her from the left. She turned toward the direction of where the sound was from and discovered Heero walking gracefully, holding a single red rose in his hand. She was just about to stand to greet him when he held up a hand and motioned for her to remain seated.  
  
He offered her the rose and sat at her side. "How have you been?"  
  
"Better, thank you." She answered, holding the rose close to her face in order to smell the fragrance of joy and bliss. They sat motionless, without communicating, glancing at each other and the doves alternately. She didn't understand the meaning behind the rose but she was sure it meant 'to new beginnings... to a new life.'  
  
Relena didn't want to have her chances lost once again for letting him know how she truly felt for him.  
  
"There's something I've been meaning to tell you, Heero." She began. "I was so afraid of dying before I had an opportunity to tell you.  
  
"I love Heero. I have always loved you. I... I don't even know where to begin." Relena sighed as she stood and began walking down the marbled steps.  
  
Heero was shocked from what she just told him. He was about to do the same thing but she beat him to it. At least the emotions he felt for her were obviously mutual. Without any further hesitation, he followed her on the walk. "Funny you should mention love." Heero said softly. "Relena, I was trained a soldier and I have never been very good at this. Within the past few weeks, I have discovered that you mean more to me than my very life. Without you, there is only the perfect soldier. You have brought great joy in my life and I'm sorry for not being there in the past."  
  
"What are you saying, Heero?" Relena asked innocently as she stopped walking altogether.  
  
"I... forget it." Heero was shy of his goal and he turned his back on her and walked on.  
  
_What was just about to happen?_ She thought. There was no way she was going to let him get away, not again. Relena chased after him and pulled at his arm.  
  
"Heero, tell me. What were you going to say?"  
  
He leaned down and kissed her wholeheartedly. It was much easier for him to show the emotions he kept locked inside for so long. She felt the world flip upside down as their lips performed the traditional dancing ritual. His mouth tasted so sweet and she knew this was the turning point for both of their lives.  
  
He never realized that their first kiss would be this thrilling and exotic. As he deepened the kiss, he pushed her closer, finally feeling the need to hold her in a wanting embrace. They finally broke the contact before they ran out of air. He cupped her face his both his hands and murmured sweetly, "I love you."  
  
That only made her smile. For once in his life, Heero chose the right path, his destination into Relena's heart. She wrapped both arms around his neck and replied, "Thank you. And I you." Relena was surprised to see his lips curve upward slightly into a smile as he found her arm. They returned to the mansion, walking hand in hand, bound together in body and in spirit.  
  
END


End file.
